Eastman Opera Theatre within the last few years has earned a
reputation for consistently successful productions of challenging 20th-century
works rarely performed by students. Philip Glass's "Hydrogen Jukebox" last fall
had been the latest in a résumé that has also recently included operas by
Francis Poulenc and Kurt Weill, among others.

With the official arrival of spring, Eastman Opera Head Steven
Daigle and company have turned to a veritable classic in the standard
repertoire and a popular standby for college productions: Mozart's "Le Nozze di Figaro" ("The Marriage of Figaro"). And befitting
the change in season, this new production is particularly verdant in more ways
than one.

That's not to say that this "Figaro" is groundbreaking: As
stage director, Daigle doesn't mess with the proven formula. The traditional
18th-century setting and costumes remain, as does the original Italian language
version (with English supertitles). And of course, the central plot still
surrounds Figaro and Susanna, two young lovers and servants who attempt to
marry despite aristocratic meddling. It's all still inherently playful at
heart.

The subtle difference is that Scenic Designer Mary Griswold
has blurred the lines between interior and exterior, so that it is unclear
where Count Almaviva's opulent house ends and the
grove and garden begin. Visually lush and evocative of burgeoning springtime,
the analogy to blooming love among the nobility and the peasants alike is overt
without being heavy-handed. In short, it's aesthetically pleasing and
thematically poignant.

Eastman Opera's singers are yet to disappoint this critic. In
the Thursday, April 7, presentation, the entire cast sang with both ease and
dexterity, and there was an amiable chemistry among the entire ensemble. As
Figaro, baritone John Meyer possessed a warm and resonant tone throughout, and
the timbre of soprano Natalie Buickians' Susanna had
melodious, bell-like clarity. Baritone Anthony Baron was convincing and
forceful as the philandering Count Almaviva, with a
slight and welcome edginess to his voice that cut Mozart's sweetened melodies
with a bitterness suitable to the character of the ever-stymied high society
man. As his neglected wife, the Countess Almaviva,
soprano Paulina Swierczek was stunning, combining a
powerful vowel attack with a honeyed tone that flowed over a tightly coiled
vibrato. With a naturally exquisite voice, Swierczek
employed excellent phrasing and breath support in what was the best pure
singing of the production.

But the leads were not the only ones to deliver quality
performances. The supporting roles of Marcellina, Dr.
Bartolo, and Don Basilio
were performed with strength and integrity by Emma Ritter, Nicholas Kilkenny, and Nick Huff, respectively.

Within all of these well-crafted renditions, it was
mezzo-soprano Sun-Ly Pierce in the role of the naive and amorous page Cherubino who gave the most entertaining and well-rounded
showing of the entire opera. Ideally cast to play the lovesick puppy in boy's
clothing, Pierce sparkled with enduring comedic flair. Vocally, her musical
gravitas was anchored in an honest, substantive timbre and light, buoyant
phrasing.

Though Pierce has a decidedly lighter tone at this early
stage in her career, a comparison to prominent American mezzo Kate Lindsey is appropriate.
In an opera industry that always needs singers who can act, one wonders what a wonder
Pierce might be as Nicklausse/the Muse in Jacques
Offenbach's "The Tales of Hoffmann" or the Composer in Richard Strauss's
"Ariadne auf Naxos."

The cast mentioned above will perform again on Saturday at
7:30 p.m., while a second cast will perform on Friday at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday
at 2 p.m.